1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser treatment apparatus for performing treatment of an affected part of a patient by irradiating the affected part with a treatment laser beam produced by a laser source.
2. Description of Related Art
As one of laser treatment apparatus to be used in the ophthalmic field, there has been known a YAG laser apparatus which is used for incising, for example, the posterior capsule of an eye of a patient in order to treat after cataract.
To apply a treatment laser beam (which is hereinafter referred to as a treatment beam) to an affected part to be treated, generally, an operator adjusts an aiming point while observing a visible aiming light which has been aligned coaxially to the treatment beam, and then pushes an irradiation switch for inputting a command signal for starting the emission of the treatment beam. As varieties of this irradiation switch, there are a foot switch which generates a signal of laser irradiation when the switch is operated by an operator""s foot, a hand switch which generates a signal when the switch is operated by an operator""s hand, or finger, the hand switch being provided in a joystick at a top portion thereof.
However, among the irradiation switches such as a hand-switch, a foot-switch, and so on, an easy-to-use type that an operator prefers occasionally differs according to operators. For example, it is conceivable to provide a single connector for joining an irradiation switch to a main body of the laser apparatus so that only the irradiation switch connected to the connector is enabled. In this case, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation with the other irradiation switch not connected to the connector. However, changing of such the connection is very troublesome, resulting in a deteriorated working efficiency. If plural operators use individually the same single laser apparatus, particularly, each operator who then uses has to change the connection for joining a desired one of the irradiation switches to the laser apparatus. This changing work is not easy for the operator side.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has an object to overcome the above problems and to provide a laser treatment apparatus that achieves easy changing of switches to be used for laser irradiation according to operator""s preference.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the purpose of the invention, there is provided a laser treatment apparatus for treating an affected part by irradiating the affected part with a treatment laser beam, the apparatus comprising a laser source for emitting a treatment laser beam, a control unit connected to the laser source, a plurality of trigger switches connected to the control unit, for inputting a trigger signal for starting laser emission, and a selection switch connected to the control unit, for inputting a selection signal for selecting one of the trigger switches, the control unit enabling use of only the selected trigger switch.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided with a laser treatment apparatus for treating an affected part by irradiating the affected part with a treating laser beam, the apparatus including a laser source for emitting a treatment laser beam, a control means for controlling activation of the laser source, a plurality of input switches for inputting a command signal for starting laser emission to the control means, and a selection means for selecting one of the plurality of input switches to be used, use of only the input switch selected by the selection means being enabled.